Cat Contact Dermatitis

Reddened, itchy areas of skin can be seenon any cat that comes in direct contact with anirritating substance. Hairless or thin-coated areas. such as the abdomen, the armpits, theinner thighs, the chest, and the area betweenthe toes are usually affected. In addition, irritation around the neck is common from flea collars.

Other common irritants are plastics, soaps, insecticides, flea collars, wool (particularly wool rugs), dyes (especially those used innylon carpets), paint, or wood preservatives. Have any of these entered your cat's life recently? Poison ivy, poison oak, pollens, andgrasses can also cause contact dermatitis. Ifyour pet is on a new drug, this could be thesource of the problem.

Cat Contact Dermatitis Home Remedies

First, try to identify the offending substance. If you think you have found the culprit,try to eliminate it from your cat's environment.

To relieve the itching, apply calamine lotion to the red areas three times daily. Cool compresses of Burrow's solution (Domeboro),applied for fifteen minutes every six hours, is an alternative. Cats should not begiven antihistamines without your veterinari-an's okay.

If the lesions are extensive, if home treatment is ineffective, or if the skin infection seems to be getting worse, a visit to your veterinarian may be necessary.

Cat Contact Dermatitis Treatment

Your veterinarian will get a complete his-tory in order to discover the identity of the offending substance. He or she will, of course,first rule out other skin diseases. Skin scrap-ings or skin biopsies may be done.

An antibiotic-steroid cream applied fourtimes daily and steroid tablets work well, evenif the culprit cannot be identified. Treatment is usually necessary for one to two weeks. Steroids should not be used for long periods oftime, but if the condition recurs, steroids can be used for a short time again. Your doctor may advise medicated baths and cold applications of Burrow's solution.

Prevention

Air out a new flea collar for three daysbefore using it, and buy the recommended size for your cat. If a neck irritation occurs, do notuse a flea collar.